


Through the Sea and Storms, We Will Find Our Love

by Kelkat9



Series: Forever Verse [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Adventure, Adventure & Romance, F/M, Humor, Light Angst, Sea Monsters, Swearing, Tropes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:42:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27065086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kelkat9/pseuds/Kelkat9
Summary: Rose is tired. Of battles, chasing, fighting and once again finding herself on a lonely Norway Beach.  Before she can catch her breath, from snogging or saving the multi verse, she's thrust into more world saving.  Except this time she's not alone.  Unsure about this new Doctor and what they are or could be, Rose does what she always has, makes it up as she goes and hopes for the best.  In a fun role reversal, she leads and the Doctor is her companion.  Maybe his manic energy, faith in her and sexy swagger is just the bit of .
Relationships: Metacrisis Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler
Series: Forever Verse [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2008159
Comments: 43
Kudos: 76





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have no idea what brought this on. There's tons of stories about Rose and TenII on the beach. Lord knows, I've written plenty of them. I think instead of weepy-crying or angry -ejecting Rose, I'd give a try at Rose is over everyone's crap and needs a moment.

Emotional whiplash had become Rose Tyler’s normal. 

Her boots sank into soft beach sand, feet from where the imprint of the TARDIS was worn away by the wind. She couldn’t help but feel the symbolism. Like the clanging of the cloister bell at the calamity of her fate. There she stood, rejected and abandoned. Stuck right back where she started. Well not really, given she started in another universe.

A hand curled around hers, a reminder she wasn’t the only one abandoned.

Undeterred and still on a _we saved the multi verse high_ , her mother was going off on bloody Norway, the Doctor’s rubbish driving, and calling Pete. The Doctor beside her seemed to duck behind Rose.

Of course, he would. The entire multiverse had. Rose was done being warrior, savior, or mender of intergalactic fences. She’d given out her last fuck.

Suffering after effects of a constant state of adrenaline to solve everyone’s problems, Rose trudged away from the Doctor who’d snogged the breath out of her. The irony of seeking solace on the wretched beach instead of with him was not lost on her. 

The dimension canon disk fell with a plop into the sand. No point in it anymore. She collapsed onto a somewhat smooth rock. Her bum may have disagreed. That was life. One minute your racing to save the multiverse and find the alien who’d made you feel more alive and loved than ever in your life. Next, it was death, destruction and stuck on an empty beach in Norway with a rock gouging into your arse.

Long blue pinstriped legs collapsed next to her, his maroon trainers digging into the sand. Soon followed by a hand whose long, tapered fingers had slipped through hers a few minutes earlier. 

“Tiny particles of crushed igneous and metamorphic rocks,” he commented, pinching sand between his fingers. “Quartz, composed of silicon dioxide, feldspar, sodium, calcium, potassium and silica.”

Doctor babble. The ultimate defense mechanism. Familiar, and in a way, comforting.

“Older than me by say ohhhh a few thousand years. Not that it feels it.” His voice was laced with a depth she hadn’t heard since he spoke with a Northern burr. “This body is newish, but me, what makes me who I am,” he noted, finally directing infinite brown eyes at her. “The memories, thoughts and emotions, they’re here. I’m still me.” He tacked on for emphasis.

Rose kicked at the sand and stared at the tiny white grains still clinging to his fingers before nodding slowly. Of course, then he licked his fingers, his face twisting up and eyes pinching shut before he spit on the beach, tongue sticking out in disgust.

“Bleh, inferior, stupid human taste buds,” He spit again before rubbing his hands on his trousers.

It earned a slight smile from Rose. Although still mired in heart wrenching loss and confusion, doubt was ebbing about who he was. Blood, anger and revenge notwithstanding. That she could deal with that.

“Maybe it's time to retire the licking thing.” Her face heated slightly at thoughts of his tongue. Rose quickly focused on the rough seas and waves crashing against the shore. It suited her mood better than thinking about him, snogging and how human he might be now. 

“I’ll eat sand again if it makes you smile. Nothing soothes the old genocidal Time Lord like a Rose Tyler smile.” There was a hard, bitter tone that stopped her short. 

“Doctor--” Rose sighed his name, not really sure what she needed to say. No worries on that front because the oncoming babble was not done.

“I missed everything about you,” he confessed, leaning back until she saw one of his tells, a hard swallow and bob of his Adam’s apple. “Bit of mess without you, to be honest. I’m sure Martha and Donna would agree. I got better with Donna but…not like with you. She was my best mate and you, well you’re my Rose. I think we do better together, less damage to the multi verse that way. We might actually have a bit of fun. New universe, new me…new us.”

Mercurial as always, the Doctor managed to weave words with longing, a touch of self-loathing and ended on hope.

“This universe isn’t new to me. Neither is sitting on this beach wondering how everything got so fucked up.” Rose added with tinge of well-earned petulance. Irritation straightened Rose’s spine along with picking away at the Tyler temper. 

“Maybe it’s not as fucked up as you think,” he quietly suggested.

“Seriously? Twenty-seven planets kidnapped, Daleks, Davros, your mortal enemy, stars going out and universes dying including the Void and you split yourself in two.” She shook her head ignoring how he slid closer to her, his fingers tapping nervously by her thigh.

“The multiverse is safe but my head’s still spinning at everything that’s happened.” An understatement laced with the heaviness still crushing at her chest. 

“I traveled to dozens of universes trying to find you. Afraid what would happen if I didn’t and then scared if I did what I’d do if you didn’t want me around anymore. Then I watched you die.” She choked on the loss that day had carved into her heart.

“But I didn’t die. You helped Donna and saved me.” His reasonable tone and how he nudged his foot against hers didn’t make her feel better.

“But you did die in that universe. And it wasn’t easy fixing. I had to figure it out with no clue if I was making things worse. Lying through my arse the entire time because there wasn’t any other option. I kept on, pushing through the worst of what that world became. And now there’s two of you. And I--” She forced herself to breath, to find the words surprised he remained silent for this long. 

“Everything with you is so mental. Never thought I’d be back here and I don’t know how to do this. I promised you--” The wind and a screeching seagull stole her words. At least that was the lie she told herself, hunched forward, tension coiled so tight, she almost shattered.

“Promised me your forever,” he supplied, his hip pressed against hers. “I couldn’t promise you mine back then, before I lost you. I can now, if you want.”

There it was hanging in the air thick with salt and sea spray. Her head pounded with conflict. God, she wanted him and what he offered. Except he’d just left her. As mind twisting as that sounded with him sitting next to her. Doubt held her back, glued her to this miserable rock on this beach drenched in pain and misery.

The only thing keeping her from walking away from him, her complaining mother, UNIT, and obligations she never wanted, was hope. 

There she sat like a grain of sand clinging to the Doctor’s fingers. Maybe with luck, a few cuddles, talking and a dash of hope, what they have might turn into a pearl. And maybe they’d find their togetherness again.

Finding themselves didn’t mean she could forget there were two of him and that one walked away. He lost a heart and hers was ripped in two. What a pair they made. Funny how he was the one talking and putting himself out there while she sat like a bright blue lump of exhaustion and anguish. 

“You know,” he drew out. “A very wise person once told me everything was better with chips. I think all things considered, you and me, we’ve earned it. We’re on a beach. There must be a chippy somewhere around here.”

“In back of beyond Norway?” Role reversal slammed into her and maybe a slight smile mixed in with the snark in her voice. Rose never could remain in misery for long around him. He tugged at his ear scanning behind them at Jackie pacing and shouting into her mobile.

“Maybe we should leg it while the getting’s good.” He pulled a sonic out of his coat pocket. “I still have a setting for detecting fried potatoes.” He gave her a charming grin waving his sonic in front of him. She should have known. Never leave the TARDIS without it he once told her.

“Are you asking me out on a we saved the multi verse date?” She looked at him through hair whipping across her face, feeling even more sure he was her Doctor. No one avoided the heavy topics like him.

“If I answer that yes, will that get us off this blindingly, windy and chilly beach?” He jumped up and scowled at the ocean as another gust of cool wind whipped at them.

“So, I guess I’m buying then?” Rose asked, hopping up next to him, batting sand off her bum.

“We can always ask Jackie to—”

His words were cut off as a gurgling howl carried across the beach.

“You have got to be kidding me.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her against his side. Rose had to admit, it was sort of fun watching his eyes widen and jaw drop. She, on the other hand, knew very well what that sound meant. 

“It’s just Cthulhu.”

“What like the H. P. Lovecraft?” the Doctor asked still darting glances out to sea but with a familiar excitement buzzing around him. 

“Mickey named him,” Rose admitted, a slight worry built as she watched the Doctor bounce on the balls of his feet.

“Brilliant Mr. Mickey! It doesn’t have wings though. Cthulhu had wings and I should know because I took Howard on a trip for a little inspiration. Got a bit out of hand with the whole cult sacrifice.” 

And there he was, brown hair tousled, eyes alight with mischief and the manic puppy on espresso vibe. Which Rose needed to get a grip on before he annoyed the enormous sea creature into laying waste to all of Norway. 

“This one is a kraken according to old Earth legends and UNIT’s official report. He’s not the first one. Just the only one that causes a bit of uproar.” Rose tried to pull away but he clamped onto her hand. “Cthulhu shouldn’t be out in the open here. He’s out of his hunting territory in the Arctic Ocean. I’ve got to have chat with him.”

“Right.” The Doctor winced as a buoy arced through the sky landing with metallic crash on some nearby rocks. “You know this kraken well then? He seems a bit--”

“Irritated, yeah that’s normal for him. He’s been a problem for a couple of years. Mickey and me were helping UNIT off the coast of Greenland when we first met him. He’s always a bit cranky and not keen on scientists or people who talk a lot,” she said with emphasis. “You’ve only got one life now and you owe me chips. So, try and behave.”

“Oi! I’ll have you know I’ve conversed with many kraken type sentient beings and not a one regenerated me.”

“This one sank several boats, smashed a helicopter shooting missiles at it and vomited bile on an American aircraft carrier that took them a year to clean. He ate a marine biologist who kept nattering on about the kraken’s place in the food chain and oceanic policies. And then there was that time he convinced the whales to capsize every boat in the Mediterranean as a joke.”

“Ha! He’s got a sense of humor. I like him, death and destruction notwithstanding.” He grinned and bounced on his feet. “And you established diplomatic relations! Brilliant you are, Rose Tyler. And I love you for it buttttt-- This big fella looks a bit out of sorts in the possibly eating blondes way and maybe we should…fuck!”

The Doctor ducked and took Rose down with him as Cthulhu yeeted a small fishing boat across the beach nearly taking them out.

Rose sighed at another job of convincing the big whatsit not to destroy the Earth. Another bloke with issues. Time Lord or Kraken, today was her day to fix everything no matter how tired or hungry or manky she was from battling Daleks.

The Doctor helped her up and they both watched the hundreds of meters tall, squid-like creature with rubbery, mottled gray and green skin swim and slither up toward the beach. Seaweed rained down on them as the Kraken let loose another loud screech, a dozen tentacles slapping the surface of the water.

Jackie’s curses could be heard behind them.

“Bloody hell not again! Now see here Mr. Cheeshulu, we just got back from saving the universe. We don’t have time for--” Jackie, and Rose’s dropped dimension hopper disappeared in a flash.

“Now that’s timing. I’ve got to have that setting,” the Doctor mused with a cheeky grin that almost left Rose giggling. Except she had a Kraken to settle down.

“I know this is going to be a challenge, but you’ve got to not go off on him. Let me handle this.”

“Matriarchal dominance. Is there a Mrs. Kraken? Or does he have a thing for…oh please tell me you haven’t agreed to be his sea queen.”

Rose’s chest started to shake with repressed laughter.

“No, I mean I don’t know if he’s got a mate. Never asked. And so not a sea queen. Just let me get through this.” She walked halfway to the water and stopped, the Doctor beside her.

“Aaaashhhhhh yellow dry walker flower,” it hissed out in a garbled groan Rose only just understood after hours of listening to recordings.

“Noble Cthulhu.” She bowed and kicked the Doctor’s ankle to get him to do likewise. He grumbled but did it as the Kraken slithered closer, a mass of tendril feelers revealing a glimpse of a giant teeth filled beak. Glowing yellow eyes lasered onto the Doctor which was very not good in Rose’s mind.

After a suitable time, Rose stood. “I can see you’re very angry. Is there something my people can do to help?”

“Innnnards! Innnnards!” He hissed and screeched, multiple tentacles churning up the water in agitation.

“Uh Rose, I think—”

“Silensssssssssse!” A tentacle came within inches and the Doctor stumbled backwards until his bum met the sand. “Foul and steeenk abomination!”

“Oi, who’s the stinky one?” The Doctor wrinkled his nose. 

Before he was eaten, Rose moved in front of him.

to be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Before he was eaten, Rose moved in front of him.

“Sorry, he’s new I’m still testing him out. So, you were talking about innards, yeah?” Rose attempted in a calm tone despite the air being permeated with essence of rotten fish. 

“Steeeenk seeeerrrrvant of yellow flower Ooshla” Cthulhu brilliantly observed leaving the Doctor sputtering.

“Something like that. He’s useful and sometimes has good ideas.”

“Ooshla?” the Doctor’s voice pitched up as he bounded by her side. “He’s speaking Slifkorskinashoo. Goddess, are we?” He tugged and straightened his coat and nodded at Cthulhu. “All hail the golden flower.”

“And her companion, the Lord of Time,” Rose couldn’t help herself as the two bumped shoulders.

Yeah, they still had it. Rose cleared her throat and swallowed back how chuffed and giggly the Doctor’s acknowledgment made her feel. She needed to sort Cthulhu first, before any locals got involved.

“Right, back to innards,” Rose said with more confidence than she felt.

“Hopefully not ours,” the Doctor added. Rose ignored him remaining on task.

“So, you mean fish innards, like…oh God, is someone chumming your waters again?” An acidic tightening in her gut turned into her ready to toss a few greedy fishermen to the Kraken for justice. “It’s the local fishing village near here, isn’t it? You followed them.”

Cthulhu’s response was to bellow and fling more seaweed and green ooze which Rose ducked but unfortunately a spec hit the Doctor in the chest.

“Oh, that’s disgusting!”

“Smile,” Rose spoke through a gritted teeth smile as the Doctor flung away slime, a scowl on his face.

“Lord of Time. Defender of the Multiverse and—”

“Zip it!” she forced while keeping an eye on the kraken who lunged forward, one tentacle slithering toward the Doctor who she again put behind her. 

“I’m sorry, Cthulhu. I’ll put a stop to the wanker fishermen fouling your waters. You’re within your rights to defend your territory.”

“Scooouurrgge. Filthhhhh. Thiiieefffshhh.”

“Not disagreeing with you,” Rose emphasized, keeping an eye on the horizon. It would just fit for UNIT to send a team and bollux any progress she made. She needed to get this resolved.

“Reparations,” the Doctor softly suggested, his breath tickling her ear. Quite distracting.

A rush of water drenched her shoes as agitated tentacles splashed and swooshed the ocean into a frothy mess.

“So, what if I get the village to…” Fuck what? She’d saved the bloody universe and she was tired. Fishing was not her expertise. “Uhhh oh I know! A ship! Made of that wood you like! I’m betting there’s still one of them around here.”

“Wood?” the Doctor asked, again leaning intimately into her ear so close, she swore his lips just brushed against the shell.

“Yeah he likes old Norwegian Pine covered in barnacles.” Which was the affirmed by a rumble from the kraken.

“Yessshhhhhh. Accept and demand blood!”

“No blood,” Rose affirmed.

“Uh maybe I can help?” the Doctor sidled around her.

“Doctor, this might not be—”

He ignored her moving to her side, like asking to be tossed out to sea.

“Right sorry about earlier, and not showing proper respect. Bit of a problem with me,” he admitted, with a rock of his head. Rose prepared to grab his hand and run.

“I’d like to help. With the Ooshla’s permission,” he stopped and gave her that long drawn out look that screamed I am so clever.

“All right, if Cthulhu is up for a listen?” Her phone vibrated in her back pocket like a portent of the doom to come. Rose ignored it and did what the Doctor liked to do. Make it up as you go. In what she hoped was a respectful and not a groaning at a half-arsed Doctor plan way, she focused on the Kraken who rumbled and his tentacles twitched. Not a good sign.

“Spppeaakkkk Steeeenk Serrrvant.”

“Lovely, the Doctor muttered before smiling brightly. “If you’ll allow it, I can install jamming technology that will prevent any mechanical devices from functioning in your waters. That will stop not only their motors but any gear they use for hauling in nets or other fishing devices. Not to mention, disable communications and sonar. And as a bonus, maybe we could infuse your territory with a steady supply of nutrients to enhance your food sources impacted by the over fishing.”

And just like that, Rose did a one eighty from annoyed, protector of abandoned Time Lord to so going to snog him for being brilliant. Maybe she should do that before he added something insulting.

“Yes, that’s really doable,” she admitted slowly and with a happy bouncy Time Lord who bent down and picked up a round spiral shell tossed at them.

“Oh, this is brilliant. Look Rose it’s an Ammonite! These are extinct in our universe and this one is…eww slimy.” He flicked clear slime into the water. Meanwhile, the Kraken stilled and if that many yellow fish eyes could squint in suspicion, that’s would they did. Right at the Doctor.

Rose grabbed the Doctor’s free hand and squeezed hard until he dropped his find. He went a bit twitchy.

“Ahhhh perhaps we need to consult with your friends at—"

“Ooshla gives woooorrd.” The Kraken bellowed. Rose nodded her head like any human faced with a giant Kraken known for laying waste to entire fishing villages.

“I’ll call my people and see what kind of timeline we can make work. The boat I promised and the nutrients might be a bit quicker but we’d need assurances you won’t sink our ships while we offload.”

Much gurgling, spitting of slime and frenzied thrashing followed. 

“Hate to cut this short but, I might be a teeny bit ready to collapse with a smidge of regeneration sickness,” the Doctor warned.

Of course, he was. Because it was her day for him to pass out in the back of beyond Norway with no transport. One glance and she could see his color washing away. Time to wrap this up.

“Cthulhu, I know you’re angry and rightfully so, but we’ve got to work together. I don’t want to see anyone else hurt or anyone try and hurt you.” She waited while he finished his tantrum. God why did they always have to blow up things or give long speeches and start a tsunami?

He shook his massive body and tentacles rained down seawater mixed with seaweed and things Rose didn’t want to think about.

“Ahhhhgreed. Ooshla will make recompense.”

“Yeah, but it’s been a long day. Saving the multi verse, your territory and this lunk next to me. Mind if we all go home and work out the details?”

“Wooood crunchy goodnessss.”

“We’ll get the local fishing village on it.”

In what sounded like a gurgling howl of laughter, that left Rose worried, the Kraken sank into the water. 

“You know, beings like that leaving on evil laughter, it’s not a good sign,” The Doctor slumped, freckles standing out on pale skin, his hair beginning to drip and look as tired as Rose felt.

At least, among the debris on the beach was a small inflatable boat, one might call it a dingy, partially filled with water and seaweed but it had a motor.

“Can you get it going?” Rose asked tugging him over to the boat He clambered in while she shoved them off the sand, not liking the look of the fog about to roll in. 

After a few buzzes of his sonic and some good kicks of his trainers, the motor sputtered on. The Doctor collapsed into the water logged boat, his bum soaked as his long legs hung off the side. 

“I got this.” Rose ran her fingers through his hair until he slumped into her side. The boat rose and fell over waves through the soup of debri in the water as they slowly chugged toward the nearby village.

“Sorry,” he mumbled into her shoulder.

“I’m the one that’s sorry. Not the best start to a life here.”

He smiled and tilted his head up.

“Nah, pretty typical for us. As long as we're together, it’s all good.” After which, he passed out leaving Rose to navigate them for the next hour through choppy waves and fog into what turned out to be a partially destroyed marina. 

Luckily, her mobile still worked.

Well, maybe not lucky.

“Control, we have a new issue.”

“Rose, where are you? Your mother wasn’t authorized on this mission. Why weren’t you wearing a cannon transponder. It’s protocol.”

Rose held the phone away from her ear while Pete vented for a few minutes before continuing.

“Look, it’s been a day. You got the tech and mum back. And I’m not the one that brought her,” she reminded her almost father. “Mickey made that call and he’s in the other universe. And we’ve got bigger problems with Cthulhu.”

“Oh, bloody hell. Again? We don’t seem to get a break. How are you?”

“The multiverse’s safe. This fishing village in Norway not so much, and the Doctor’s passed out next to me.”

“The Doctor. Your mum said something about there being two of him and one left. I’ll need a bit more than that.”

Rose sighed and cringed at how she’d explain all this and how many reports and forms she’d have to file.

“Cthulhu first, please. There’s been illegal fishing in his territories. Probably people dead. If we don’t want more dead, I’ll need one of them old fishing boats, you know the ones with the barnacles and the pine, delivered to his territory.”

“We put up warning beacons.” Pete groaned and sounded as tired as Rose. He’d have even more reports than her to fill out.

“The Doctor’s got a good solution but we need some rest. The marina’s a bit sick with slime after Cthulhu’s visit.” Rose coughed and gagged in emphasis. The Doctor was lucky to be unconscious. “I’ll text you the coordinates so you can send a team. We need a place to crash for a while.”

“I’ve got GPS on your phone. There’s an Inn at the harbor. Only one there. Get some rest while I send a team. Are you sure you’re okay? What about the Doctor?”

Was she okay? Rose looked down at the blue suited Doctor, his head now in her lap. Maybe she would be.

“Yeah, we’ll be okay,” she admitted. “Just need some rest, a shower, food and some clean clothes. But Pete, Dad, I gave Cthulhu my word. Saving the universe won’t matter if he turns the oceans against us.”

“Understood. Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow. Control Out.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading! It's always fun to explore different concepts on what happened to these two after the TARDIS disappeared from BWB.

The Doctor jostled awake at strong hands gripping under his arms lifting him up. He jerked until he caught sight of Rose lifting his legs. Hair dripping and blue jacket smeared with brown wet strands of…oh. 

He tried to find his feet as Rose dumped them onto solid ground. Except the world kept moving. Annoying that.

“Rose,” he gasped before landing into her arms.

“Thanks, Jarle, can one of your crew help me get him to the local Inn?” Her voice sounded as tired as he felt.

He squinted through a fog. Regeneration sickness. Daleks. His body stiffened and heart raced. Whoa. One heart. He was in bad shape.

“We’ve got to get to the TARDIS.” His voice scraped against his throat and his thoughts spun. He clawed his fingers into her leather jacket.

“Doctor, we’re in Norway. There is no TARDIS.” Rose soothed as he planted his face in her warm neck. Her scent a bit pungent and sour but still Rose underneath. He pulled away gazing into eyes shadowed with exhaustion. He tightened his grip.

“You came back. Bloody Daleks got in the way. I have to tell you.”

“You don’t remember.” Her shoulders dropped and fuck but he had to make sure not to blow it this time.

“I need to tell you.” He fought the darkness clutching at him, dragging him away from her. 

“You did, on the beach. Remember? We really need to get you to bed.” He panted and squinted his eyes refusing to lose this chance.

“No, I have to before the universe takes you, destroys--” He sucked in air before with laser focus, unleashed his heart. “I love you forever.”

A slight smile curved her lips and she pressed warm soft lips on his forehead.

“I know. And we’ll have this talk when you’re a bit more yourself.”

“I am me. Just need a kip and then we’ll have chips.” He faded in and out but managed a glimpse of warm Rose Tyler smile, the kind that gave him hope. His feet felt leaden as she gently turned and guided him away from the stench of rotten fish. Bile suddenly burned in his throat. This was the worst regeneration sickness ever. 

“It’s been a long day. Let’s just get somewhere warm.” 

Warm sounded nice. Cuddled with Rose better and on that thought he lost himself to the bliss of unconsciousness.

Until he ended up in a burning ship with Daleks and Davros and blimey another him. Wizard. The more genocidal hims the better. Except there was Rose. End of the universe, companions, death and her whiskey brown eyes filled with time and a depth of heavy burden. 

Wait. His chest burned. Explosions, acrid burning metal. Regeneration. Donna’s voice echoed deep in his mind. Wake up spaceman!

He gasped awake, his skin damp and heated. He kicked at blankets and blinked through the dim light at a boring white ceiling. Footsteps and clanking sounded outside the nearby door. But more important was the soft brush of human breath next to him. Rose.

Rose Tyler was in bed with him. 

Norway. Metacrisis. He was in parallel universe Norway. With Rose Tyler. Who he snogged rather brilliantly on the beach before his counterpart swanned off with the TARDIS and…Donna. Oh, Donna Noble. 

Despite having a warm Rose curled up next to him, an acidic burning in his chest along with anxiety cramped through his limbs. Donna, his brilliant ginger companion would live. But at a cost. They’d all paid a terrible price the prior day. Both hims, Rose and Donna. Yet, he was winner as well.

Judging by his present location, in bed with a sleeping Rose, he wasn’t doing so bad. Well, the regeneration sickness wasn’t the best. By the quickening of his breath, he’d lost a respiratory bypass, a heart but everything else seemed intact. Time sense was a bit scrambled. He chalked that up to universal adjustment. Under the covers he assessed himself. T-shirt and trousers on. Feet bare. Jacket draped across a chair. Mouth…ewwww. Disgusting.

“You okay?” Blankets rustled as Rose stretched revealing she’d changed into an oversized navy t-shirt printed with a Norwegian flag. She rubbed at her eyes, hair a familiar tangled mess bringing back memories of other times he’d wakened her.

“Am I?” he asked, his voice sounded rough. He stretched his neck and shoulders, and winced at some debris crusting his eyes which he wiped away. “Human,” he grumbled. “Still could be worse.” He ran his tongue over his teeth and scrubbed at the stubble covering his jaw. “Did you get some rest?”

Rose hummed in a typical sleepy Rose before caffeine way.

“Tea should be here soon,” she mumbled, burying herself into the pillows near his neck bringing a smile to his face. On the beach, she’d been rightfully out of sorts. Maybe rest and them resolving a potential kraken versus human war helped them find their footing.

A knock on the door interrupted his analysis and slightly weird need to watch Rose. Her nose wrinkled as she continued to snuggle into bed.

“You need a shower. Still smell like burnt metal and fish.” Another knock rapped on the door. “Get the tea, I’m not dressed.” This was mumbled into the pillow.

Sputtering between outrage that he might stink as bad as the cheeky kraken alleged, and the thought that Rose might be naked beneath the covers, he stilled like a deer in headlights. Until her hand snaked out from the covers and shoved his shoulder.

“Right, tea,” he said a little dazed and eyeing said blankets covering the rest of her body…possibly naked. 

On that mind-boggling note, he threw back covers, sniffed his shoulder and winced before opening the door. 

“Hallo!” he greeted. The young, blonde woman in a thick cable knit sweater and jeans held a tray with tea, toast, a variety of spread and cheese. “Molto Bene! Glimrende!” His Norwegian earned him a smile as he accepted the tray and backed into the room, shutting the door with his foot.

“Rose, they gave us little single servings of Nutella!” He set the tray on a small desk in their even smaller room. “And toast, ohhh Lingonberry and yellow currant? That’s weird.” By this time, Rose had crawled out from under the covers, her long shirt hitched up revealing bare thighs as she stretched. 

Jam and Nutella forgotten, he searched his immense vocabulary for words to fill the silence while she padded toward the tray. Rose didn’t appear to notice as she mumbled tea and ignored him, working on steeping what smelled like strong English Breakfast tea. 

“Cuppa will help, yeah?” she asked, stifling a yawn.

“Yes, tea! Free radicals and tannins.” More words would help. Except he lost his train of thought at the caress of her fingers across his cheek when she paused to examine him. Warm skin on skin contact muddled anything coherent he might say. In a rather brilliant Rose is not rejecting him way.

“You don’t feel feverish like you were last time. You did sleep longer than you used to. Let’s get some tea in you.” She nodded and went back to work while he stood in a pathetic human stupor.

“Sleep might be a thing I do a bit more of now.” After that rolled off his tongue, he realized how his life had changed in more than a good Rose way. “Blimey, that’s a bit rubbish.”

“Still rude,” Rose teased while adding cream and sugar and shoving the white mug at him.

He inhaled steam scented tea. One sip of Tyler made tea, just the way he liked it and his thoughts clarified.

“Thought it might help like it did last time. Wasn’t sure if you still take it the same.” Rose enjoyed her own cuppa and stretched her neck.

“Oh, it’s perfect. Tyler tea solves all ills,” he agreed. “Speaking of ills, I take it we’re safe from the wrath of your kraken friend?”

“The local marina’s destroyed and the locals shook up. UNIT sent a team down. Talked to them while you were out. Should be good.” Her eyes focused on him over the rim of her mug. “You need a shower.”

He caught a whiff but refused to acknowledge this body’s imperfections. Although he’d blame most of the smell on the prior day’s adventure.

“Are you saying I smell bad?” He knew he did but pride refused to acknowledge something as trivial and distasteful as body odor. Instead, he reached for a tiny single serve mini tub of jam and swiped it out with his finger into his mouth, humming at the sweet lingonberry.

“Some things never change.” She smiled and reached for a piece of cheese. “And yes, it’s a bit fishy in here and not from the clothes.”

“Didn’t stop you from crawling in bed with me.” The body might be dodgy but the ego remained intact. And rightfully so judging by the blush flushing her cheeks. He grinned and grabbed the miniature pot of Nutella.

“Considering we got the last room and there was only one bed and you, mister, were passed out cold. I made due.”

There was that spark he missed. Cheeky Rose. She looked so young and fresh faced in that t-shirt that barely covered her thighs. His heart swelled at the confidence and command and how she carried herself. She’d keep him on his toes.

“And I’m glad you did. It was nice to not be alone.” His words came out slower as a chill crawled up his spine. Alone in his head, no TARDIS. Cut off with only his past knocking around taunting him. Clanking metal, explosions, Exterminate.”

“Doctor,” Rose clamped onto his wrist as lukewarm tea splashed his bare feet and a mug shattered. His body moved toward Rose as she wrapped her arms around him. Warmth returned as he clamped onto her. He wasn’t so oblivious he didn’t know a panic attack when it squeezed the air from his lungs, locked his muscles and plummeted him into the repetitive nightmares of his past.

“You’re okay. We’re safe in a quaint slightly musty Inn. Just you and me. The old team, yeah.”

“Shiver and shake. I think I’m shiver.” His voice trembled and he squeezed her hard one more time before backing up a step. “Sorry.”

“No, we’re not doing that thing where you apologize, pull away and pretend everything’s fine,” Rose insisted. “We’ve both had a time of it and we’ve earned a sleep in, hot shower, hugs and I think we agreed on chips. Then if you’re up to it, we can talk.” 

“This is one of the hundreds of reasons I love you.” It felt good to say that to her. And he meant it with every second in this now short life he planned on living with her. His only hesitation was she had yet to say the precious three words back to him. A sliver of doubt took hold as she gazed into his eyes, searching, maybe looking for proof he was really him.

“You’ve told me three times now. I know other you said they don’t need saying. And what we have goes way beyond words. Hearing them from you, before and now, it’s surreal. I’ve never felt like this for anyone.”

“You mean the busting through the Void kind of love?” He tried to lighten the moment so she wasn’t pressured. She huffed out a breath and groaned.

“God, you’re making this hard. So much work for one Time Lord.”

“But worth it,” he teased even if he didn’t think it was. 

“Yes, you are worth it. You’re my best mate, my partner, the vinegar to my chips. You understand me better than anyone, and always made me feel special and capable of more than I thought I could do. I love you, maybe more than’s healthy, but we need time, yeah. And you really need a shower.” Rose stepped back and wrinkled her nose.

“Great declaration of love but not if I stink of fish? Welll, I am devastated. Hurt. Wounded, Rose Tyler.” The two of them burst out in giggles. And it felt good and right.

“So, I’ll shower and….eww clothes.” He tugged at his t-shirt noting a few grains of beach sand.

“I got us t-shirts but pickings were slim due the whole kraken tantrum flooding part of the village.” 

“Not a problem,” he said and grabbed his coat, hesitating at the green stains soaked into the fabric.

“That’s going to take setting Delta four Pomegranate. And some airing.” He held it away from him after procuring his sonic and pondering all the settings he wished he had on his spare. 

“So, you’re good with laundry duty and…us? I mean after you shower and all we can I dunno--” She ran a hand through her hair and fidgeted, pink painted toes scrunching into the beige throw rug. 

“When you promised me forever, I don’t recall it being conditioned on bathing?” he teased, coat over his arm as he peered into the tiny cubicle of the bathroom wincing at her pile of clothing and the most definitely not fresh scent of the sea.

“And your promise of chips didn’t sound like after I pass out into a regenerative coma condition. Now go clean up so I can have my chips, and we can go out and not have krakens or aliens or universal catastrophes to deal with.” She glanced at the window and a shadow seemed to pass over her.

“Together,” he reminded her, intent on banishing any of her worries “Maybe on the slow path for a bit but, not for long hopefully. He patted his coat with the TARDIS coral snuggling in one of his pockets.

“Deal. You do the cleaning and I’ll figure out our domestic transport.”

Her smile when he mentioned them adventuring together was all the inspiration he needed. 

A hot shower felt glorious, better than he’d ever experienced. Even in a tiny, cramped stall, a good scrubbing with floral scented shampoo and soap, washed away… He stopped. Suds still in his hair. Washing away his old life. Daleks. His old girl, the TARDIS, his faithful companion. 

All lost now. Tears stung his eyes and he collapsed against the white tiled wall. His ears pounded and the world seemed to tighten a noose around his neck. He focused on breathing. No room to collapse into a heap on the floor in this very not bigger on the inside shower. 

Thoughts cycled in a fast stream picking at his brain. No going back to visit old friends. No more zipping to Shan Shen, or New Earth. All his belongings now sat in his pocket. Everything gone. Deep breaths. He needed to breathe. 

He had Rose, and his ability to think on the fly. And apparently panic attacks as his new normal Fuck. Hands fisted, he pressed against the cool tile forcing away the lashing of his guilt and sorrow. Rose hadn’t dumped him and she’d cuddled with him. Monstrous past or not, Rose believed in him. No matter how undeserving he was of that faith.

Slowly he stood, rinsing his hair under water that was growing tepid. This body didn’t like cold showers. With a shudder he stepped out, briskly rubbed off moisture and soniced clothing. 

He pinched a strap of Rose’s bra and stopped gaping. Not the frothy lace he would expect, but still…ohh soft to the touch as his thumb and finger caressed the strap. This black silky but practical garment cradled her breasts. His brain crashed at the thought. Forever with Rose meant holding hands, kissing, snuggling, sharing a home, doing laundry like her lingerie. Oh breasts. Soft Rose parts he would see and touch and whoa. 

His body flushed with heat. He needed to get a grip on things now. 

“Human hormones. Oh, that is it. I am so done,” he grumbled. “At least she kept her knickers.” His brain shorted out. Best to focus on getting the bacteria and unpleasant scents off her clothing. He’d deal with bras and knickers and bare skinned Roseness later.

Unless she wanted…No. He was not listening to that lascivious voice. Not yet at least. On that note, he made the best of his hair with products Rose had procured, tilting his head, running a hand over his now shaved jaw. Not too bad.

Rose’s clothes in his arms he proceeded into their room only to be met with Rose on her mobile staring at the telly and news about Norway. 

“Yeah, should have expected it, I guess. Thought we’d have more time,” Rose spoke into the phone, her eyes widening as she scoped him out leaving him preening. Things were getting back to normal. Especially when she smiled and her eyes lit up with a familiar warmth.

“Thanks for the car and letting me know, Jake. We’ll get out of here somehow.” She tossed her mobile onto the bed and glanced once more at the telly which was showing pictures of the marina, a decimated beach and oh no. A shaky video of him and Rose on the beach snogging. And another with him and Rose talking to Cthulhu. 

“It’s all over the news. Dad’s got UNIT giving a press conference.”

“No Torchwood then?” He looked better than the windswept snogging metacrisis this shaky video showed. 

“We merged when the stars were going out. Harriet Jones, oh she’s the president here, she wanted us to combine resources. Worked out okay. Some ego busting and UNIT’s a bit rigid. But Dad, Pete, he’s a Captain now and in charge of the Dimension Cannon Project. I work under him. He’ll help sort out the media but there’ll be questions and the village here is overrun.”

“With reporters?” He dropped her clothes on the bed and lifted a curtain only to find masses of cameras pointed at the Inn.

He turned to find Rose ducking into the bathroom. 

“Thanks for the clothes. I’ll just be a mo.” 

He unleashed a few creative curses from at least three alien cultures and soniced the telly to cycle through news reports. 

“Rather deal with the cranky Kraken.” 

Rose’s head popped out and at least she was smiling.

“You and me both!” She ducked back in but left the door open. The news wasn’t a surprise, reports on mysterious sonic booms and an electromagnetic event centered at Dårlig Ulv Stranden.  
“Sorry.” Rose walked out, but not the image of the woman on the beach yesterday. She seemed lighter and less burdened. “The whole world is out of sorts even with us fixing everything. Lots of storms and such and everyone being on edge and some of the doomsayers were out at the beach and then there’s the kraken groupies.”

“Atmospheric disturbance is part of the retro closure and universal walls healing. Every universe will be impacted. Groupies?”

“It’s a bit weird. But I dunno, it’s like any trend, one moment everyone’s on about movie stars like Daniel Craig then a year later it’s all about Jason Momoa.” She shrugged. “They recorded us and now it’s making its way all over the web and the media’s mobbing the village looking for us.”

“Because?” he drew out a bit peeved at how Rose licked her lips when talking about this Jason Momoa chap. 

“We talked to Cthulhu. And there was a lot of electromagnetic stuff going on including the end of the world. Then there’s my dad and the whole Tyler family mystery that made the rounds. I’m not exactly anonymous here.” 

He didn’t like how her voice dropped and worry lines pinched over her nose. He, of course, had a solution.

“Okkaayyy so the hordes of Ghengis Khan are at the gate and we need to sneak out the back. Easy Peazy. Then we find transport and make our grand escape.” The more he thought about it, excitement built. A challenge. Them vs the news media. Not exactly evading the Shadow Proclamation or escaping a time loop, and he had Rose so the advantage. 

Rose strutted over to him, a sway to her hips.

“A bit confident, are we?” She cocked her head to the side, standing inches from him. His heart sped up as she traced a finger along his lapel. “I do have transport waiting if we can avoid the dozens of press, kraken groupies, curious townspeople and UNIT who may still want to debrief me.”

“Ahhh, but I’m the cleverest person on the planet. I have the one person who can defeat Daleks, save the multi verse, talk down a vengeful kraken and save me without losing her breath. The odds are in our favor.”

Rose hummed her agreement as she tugged him down for a rather lovely soft kiss. That blossomed into her rolling his bottom lip into her mouth. Darting her tongue against his added a new level of intimacy, not in a mindless snog but more familiar and a shared intimacy. His body flushed hot with need. Crushed together, he gasped for breath and his chest rumbled with enjoyment and a rush of hormones. It was Rose who pulled back, leaving him dizzy, out of breath and feeling exhilarated and…dare he admit, happy.

“Was it too fast?”

“Fast as in it’s taken us years, the end of the universe, a metacrisis and a kraken to enjoy a couple of snogs? No not really. You?”

His favorite Rose smile beamed at him, blonde hair almost glowing in the dim light. Her arms glided around his waist under his coat, nails raking through his t-shirt until he wanted to offer up another snuggle under the covers and tell the world to sod off.

“I’d say, we have a lot of catching up to do. Besides, I had to test it to see if it was as good as the beach.”

“Challenge accepted,” he called out with every ounce of energy welling in him to make good on the snogging challenge.

“Channel that enthusiasm into our great escape which we should get to now before—” Her mobile buzzed and Rose groaned.

“Don’t answer it. We’ve earned a holiday. If this UNIT is anything like our home universe, they’ve got procedures and boxes to check and rubbish regulations to implement to sort whatever’s out there.” He squeezed her fingers into her waist. “Be my designated driver. Show me this parallel Earth.”

“Together,” her voice thickened and their hands dropped and clasped.

“Forever.” No one word held so much power to him.

“Run,” she answered with a tongue teasing smile. 

And they did, sneaking down hallways, stairs, out the kitchen into an alley, over a fence and barging through a few homes, laughing and apologizing along the way. There were shouts and threats and a few winks as they found the rental Jake had dropped off blocks from the Inn and took off on their next great adventure.


End file.
